


It Was Worth Everything

by ScribblesInTheMargins



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: 18OI AU Week 2019: Day 1, 18OI AU Week: Day 1, Day 1: Fantasy/Fairytale/Mythology - Freeform, M/M, Near Drowning, Some injuries, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2020-03-07 00:18:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18861889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScribblesInTheMargins/pseuds/ScribblesInTheMargins
Summary: "Ohh … does that mean you want to hear a story about a mermaid, my little precious?""Yes, daddy!"  The girl smiled a little, the promise of a story helping to distract her from worrying about her papa."OK, once upon a time -- that's how all good stories start, right?"  His tone so clear that he was teasing with the little girl."Once upon a time in a small fishing village far far away from here…"  She started to tell the story as she looked up at Yuri with a petulant pout.





	It Was Worth Everything

**Author's Note:**

  * For [puppysicle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/puppysicle/gifts).



> Day 1 of the AU week event for the 18OI discord. Also a gift for a wonderful person.

 

Nearly everyone who lived on this small island worked with the sea in some way.  While much of the fishing had turned to tourism in the past years, almost everyone still spent their days on the ocean.  A little girl sat in class, not hearing whatever her teacher was saying. Elana wasn't the only one though. Lightning could be seen off in the distance.  It was hurricane season, and everyone, even little children like her, knew what that meant.

 

Elena's teacher tried to distract the children in the classroom, but too many were staring out the windows of the little elementary school classroom.  Even at only five or six years of age, the kindergarten children all knew that storms could be dangerous. They weren't scared of the lightning or the thunder that echoed around them.  They worried about the winds and rain out on the ocean where their families were, loved ones that they knew could never come home if things went wrong.

 

Finally, she was changing her sneakers for rain boots and pulling on her raincoat -- both had kitty cats on them, her daddy had given them to her.  Her umbrella was just a normal umbrella though, although her daddy had found her a pink one at least. There wasn't a school bus on the island. This place wasn't big enough to really need one.  Students either walked or were picked up by someone -- anyone above 6th grade had to go to school off the island -- there was only an elementary school here. As her class was led out, she was looking for her daddy, her intense green eyes looking around until she finally saw him.

 

Tearing across the sidewalk, she dropped her umbrella and her backpack as she ran to throw herself into her daddy's arms.  Her daddy always got looks from the other parents. She knew he didn't look like other parents, but she didn't care -- that was her daddy and his hair was as bright as the sun after the storm.  Daddy never used an umbrella his answer the same every time she asked, 'What my little one? Do you think daddy is made out of sugar and will melt? No, you are the sweet one, my little precious.'  Every Time she asked him, it was always the same answer.

 

She didn't see the cold look that he gave the other parents as they stared.  She just held onto him as he walked to where she had dropped her things. Her backpack thrown over his shoulder and the umbrella now over her head as he tried to keep her dry for the walk back.

 

"Did you have fun at school?"

 

She let her fingers entwine into his long blond locks, not caring how wet her daddy's hair was.  "No. It was storming and I'm worried about Papa. Is he out on the water? Please? Tell me he is home?"

 

"Your papa is a very very good sailor, one of the best I have ever met, my little precious."  He moved the girl a little in his arms, holding her tighter. Her small body was so much warmer than his ever was.  "Your hair's wet. I don't want you to get sick. You're going to have to get a warm bath when we get home."

 

"Before dinner?  I don't want to -- I want to watch for papa to come home."

 

"He isn't supposed to be back to port until late.  With the weather, it might be later." Yuri kissed her head, even as he did, he knew that this storm was stronger than anyone had thought it would be.  He could smell it. He could feel it. The air pressure was dropping too fast and the temperature had changed too quickly. The salt in the air was wrong.  Everything was wrong about this, but he couldn't let her see how worried he actually was.

 

"Daddy?  Can we eat in the watching room?"  She knew her friends didn't have watching rooms in their houses -- but she also knew her friends thought it was a wonderful thing.

 

"Of course, my little one."  He never set her down, carrying her so carefully as he made his way to a small house with faded white paint along the ocean side of the island.  It was no secret that she was so very loved by her family.

 

Once in, he set her down, and then took off his coat to set it on the coat hook -- three hooks.  One for her, one for him … and one for his husband who was somewhere out on that angry ocean. They had barely gotten their coats off before a husky dog was running up to them, whining as she saw it was just the two of them and not her owner.  

 

"He'll be home soon."  Maintaining his calm demeanor, he tried to sooth and dog as well as his daughter -- except the dog was better at knowing that Yuri was actually worried.  His entire calm demeanor just a lie -- and lies were something he had never been good at.

 

He kept the little girl busy, trying to keep her distracted from how the storm was getting worse every moment.  Dinner was barely finished when suddenly the power flickered and those young, green eyes widened with fear as she looked at him.  "The storm…"

 

"I know, my precious.  It's getting worse. We can go watch for your papa."  He led the way up to the small second floor. The master bedroom was up here as well as a bathroom, but the majority of the floor was lined with windows on the seaward side.  The view of the ocean one of the best on all of the island. He set the plates down on the table, insisting she eat, but both of them were distracted by watching the ocean -- and they both knew the storm was getting worse.

 

"Daddy?  I'm not hungry …"  It was clear to him that the little girl was too worried about the storm and her papa.

 

"How about this, my little precious one, I will tell you a story if you eat your dinner."  He knew that she could never resist a story.

 

Once the dishes were in the sink, Yuri sat in the watching room on the big couch that faced the ocean.  All the lights in the room were turned off so they could see how the lightning kept illuminating the ocean.  With the dog at the end of the couch and Elena curled up on his lap, Yuri sighed -- it was almost perfect. Seung-gil was not here, though, and Yuri was always nervous when his husband was not here.  Being around the man's people without him there always worried him -- more so when he wasn't sure himself that his husband was safe.

 

He let his fingers run through Elena's hair, carefully wrapping the black tresses into long braids.  She really did look so much like her father -- except with his eyes. "Do you want a story about a cat?"

 

"Daddy, no."  She wrinkled her eyes a little as she played this game.  Yuri always asked her for all the subjects she didn't want to hear.

 

"A dog?"

 

"No."

 

"A fish?"

 

"Daddy …"

 

"Ohh … does that mean you want to hear a story about a mermaid, my little precious?"

 

"Yes, daddy!"  The girl smiled a little, the promise of a story helping to distract her from worrying about her papa.

 

"OK, once upon a time -- that's how all good stories start, right?"  His tone so clear that he was teasing with the little girl.

 

"Once upon a time in a small fishing village far far away from here…"  She started to tell the story as she looked up at Yuri with a petulant pout.

 

"Every time I think you look more like your papa, you do something like this, my precious, and I realize how much you look like me."  He smiled as he played with her braids. It was so easy to see his husband in her features.

 

"Bobby at school says you aren't both my parents."

 

"Well, Bobby at school stands around waiting for his brothers and eating his own snot, so I don't think going to Bobby for facts is going to be your best route, my precious."  Yuri smiled but didn't clarify how both her parents could be male. He knew at some point she'd stop believing him, and they'd have to tell her something. That wasn't tonight though.  Tonight, she was still little and looking up at him for her favorite story.

 

"Please tell me the story?"

 

"Of course, my precious.  Once upon a time in a small fishing village far far away from here …"

 

* * *

 

In a small fishing village off the coast of the Korean Peninsula, there was a boy, maybe more of a young man.  Seung-gil Lee was the youngest son of the family. His father was known as a tenacious and successful fisherman.  Both of his older brothers had become fishermen as well. That wasn't what Seung-gil wanted though. Tonight, hours after the sun had set, he found himself sitting on the rocks along the water.

 

Seung-gil had wanted to go to the big city, go to university, do something -- anything that was not being a fisherman and be stuck in this little village for all of his life.  He knew that was what would happen to him. Even a successful fisherman didn't have enough money to send his youngest son away like that, no, he needed to help the family. As he sat, bathed in the moonlight and dreading the morning, he heard a sound -- something strange.

 

Standing, he looked around as he stepped over the rocks, "Who is that?"  

 

There wasn't an answer, just a rustling sound a little ways down the shore from where he was.

 

Grabbing his flashlight, he started to carefully walk along the rocks.  Maybe it was an animal -- but he couldn't think of what it could be. He let his flashlight dance over the stones, looking at not only where he was stepping, but for where that noise had originated.

 

As he was carefully stepping from one slick stone to another, his light hit it -- and he screamed.  His light fell across something that was clearly not a lost dog or cat from the village. The light fell on pale skin and impossibly long blond hair, but also fins and teeth sharper and shinier than the jewel-like green eyes in the creature's skull.

 

Seung-gil stumbled back, eyes wide in fear as the creature hissed, every fin on its body standing up as it tried to make itself look bigger and more threatening.  However, it only took moments for Seung-gil to realize that the creature was just posturing. No matter how threatening it tried to appear, it was trapped.

 

Still scared, but knowing the creature was trapped and couldn't get at him, Seung-gil tried to get a better look at whatever this thing was.  It was covered with cuts along its body, rough breaks in the scales that looked so very familiar. "What are you …" He didn't expect an answer.  He wasn't superstitious. He believed in rational things like science and wanted more than anything to go to university -- but this …there was no rational explanation for this.

 

"Stay away."  Its words sounded strange, rough and as if the creature couldn't breathe well.

 

"You can talk?"  Seung-gil tilted his head, this had to be a prank.  He'd never seen anyone with hair like that though. Well, not in person, maybe this was a prank by some foreigner.  Hollywood special effects hiding a man's legs in a fake tail or something.

 

The creature's answer was a hiss instead of words.  Whatever this thing was, it pulled back in on itself, still watching him with suspicion clear in its eyes.

 

"This … is this from a movie?" He gestured at the parts of the other man's body that he could see.

 

"A ... movie?"  It was as if the other man … or creature … didn't understand the word.

 

"A prank?  A costume? What … "  He gestured again at the scales and fins, his back straightening as he looked down at whatever this thing was with suspicion.

 

"What?  Are you stupid?"  The person … creature .. whatever, tried to move again, but this time the whimper of pain was clear.

 

"You're trapped."

 

"And you're a human."  Green jewel eyes narrowed even more.

 

Maybe Seung-gil's next move was stupid, maybe it was foolish, but before he thought it through, he was moving to try and help get the rocks off of the other man.  "Are your legs hurt?" Then he realized -- there were no legs inside some sort of costume tail. The tail was exactly that, a tail, and it was moving now in ways that were completely impossible for legs, no matter how amazing the costume construction was.

 

The creature looked up as it used its arms to move itself to a more comfortable position, managing to sit on a rock.  With a sigh, the creature started to inspect the damage -- the damage that looked so familiar to Suang Gil. He'd seen gashes like that before.

 

"You're really a mermaid?"  He'd heard legends. Some people said they were good, some said they were evil -- never before had he heard of one that was not a woman though.

 

"I am Yuri."

 

"What's a Yuri?"  Instantly, Seung-gil realized it wasn't a what but a who, that was the creature's name.

 

"Idiot."

 

"I am no idiot, Yuri.  I am Seung-gil Lee and I was able to get the rocks off you, and I know what those wounds mean.  You were attacked by a shark tonight."

 

"I'm not a woman.  Your people call us Mermen and Mermaids, we call ourselves Singers."

 

"Other cultures call your kind sirens."  Suang Gil never thought he'd be this calm when faced with a creature he couldn't explain.  He wasn't scared of Yuri though. He was much more fascinated.

 

Yuri nodded, yes, 'sirens' was closer to right when it came to his people.  "Help me to the water?" He could sit here until the tide came in, but he'd be safer in the water, not here on the wet rocks where he was helpless.

 

"Are you well enough for that?"

 

The creature -- no Yuri nodded, "Yeah … do you, trust me, Seung-gil Lee?"

 

"You can just call be Seung."  He stepped forward, leaning down to pick up the Merman, Siren, Singer… whatever he should be calling this Yuri.

 

Seung-gil had expected the creature to be heavier, but without the fins extended and without the intimidation display, it was quickly clear how slight of frame Yuri was.  He didn't even weigh as much as a 50 kg fishing net. "I have you, don't worry."

 

Even as Yuri nodded, he was actually scared -- he wouldn't show it though.  He was nearly helpless on land, away from water that was his home.

 

Softly, he was set onto a rock right on the edge of the ocean, and he let out a breath that he didn't even realize he had been holding.  Looking up at the human, he tilted his head. "Thank you. I owe you a favor -- someday, I shall pay you back."

 

With that, the creature disappeared, leaving Seung-gil there with no proof of its existence.  Maybe it was a dream or a delusion -- he knew he couldn't tell anyone about what had happened.  All he could do was walk back to his family's house and go to sleep -- in the morning, he'd be out fishing with his father and his brothers.

 

* * *

 

Six months later, the sea was angry.  Of course, Seung-gil knew that the sea was just salt and water.  It held no animosity towards them, no anger, no love -- no feelings.  That did not change how the water rolled and the winds blew and how their small fishing boat was struggling as they fought what they all feared was a losing battle with the elements.  The engine was flooded. One of the sides had taken damage. Water was finding ways in and the bilge pump stood no chance -- and the rocking of the ship made bailing water to be near impossible.  That didn't matter, they were still trying to save the ship. He knew the ship didn't care about them either, but they cared about that ship. She was their lifeline. If they made it through this with the ship, they'd be all right.  If she was lost, they were as well.

 

As lightning struck, a wave sideswiped the boat and she rolled to the side, impossibly tilted and then -- that was it.  Her hull had been pushed past what it could take. She was crashing down and falling apart and Seung-gil was in the cold ocean waters with no sense of which way was up and which was down in the dark night.  

 

Seung-gil tried to find his way, tried to find the way up, back to air and the possibility that he might live, that his emergency life vest might save him -- the darkness of the ocean and the darkness of night unified into the darkness of unconsciousness and he knew that was it -- there was no recovery from that.  Death would claim him.

 

The next thing Seung-gil knew, death tasted like salt water and sand.  Death was beautiful as well. His eyes, barely opened, saw what had to be an angel -- not that Seung-gil believed in angels.  The pale figure was naked, skin like an alabaster doll, if alabaster dolls were pure, lithe muscle. Long blond hair trailing down to the small of its back -- no, his back.  The angel was decidedly male and decidedly beautiful, and Suang-Gil did not have it in him to debate how it was possible for him to be both. Then he saw those eyes.

 

The angel was no angel, but there was no fins, no tail, no sign of this ethereal being was anything but an incredible human.  Seung-Gil knew though, "Yuri?"

 

Yuri was kneeling by him, shaking him and tapping his shoulder, "You have to get up.  The others…." He glanced back, and it was then that Seung-gil saw the other forms, and they were not moving.  

 

As soon as Seung-gil moved to hands and knees, his stomach clenched.  Too much salt water had been swallowed and he retched in the sand, unable to do anything until his body rid itself of all those mouthfuls of water.  Weakened and shaking, he crawled to his brothers and father.

 

His father's forehead was smeared with blood.  The wound deep and brutal -- maybe in the village … maybe … maybe there it wouldn't be a death sentence.  Seung-gil knew that was not the case here. As much as it pained him, he had to check on his brother's as well.

 

His brother's had breathed in so much water, they were alive, but their lungs … he did what he could, this human version of Yuri hesitant but willing to do whatever he was told to try and help the three unconscious humans.

 

Before night fell, the three were under shelter and a fire lit the beach for the hope of a rescuer seeing it.  With nothing more to do than hope -- hope for his brothers live, hope he was wrong about his father's injuries, hope for rescue -- finally, he looked to Yuri.  The man was still naked, but showing no shyness to that. "Here." He pulled off his shirt. On the other man's .. no, Yuri was not a man. He wasn't human. On Yuri's frame, it fell to his hips.

 

Yuri sat by the unconscious humans, and then, gently, he took Seung-gil's father's hands in his own before he began to softly sing.  The tune was haunting, a soft melody floating through the night sky like an unspoken promise. Hope entwined in the notes, as the merman's voice rose, and that was when Seung-Gil realized why they were called singers.  It was beautiful, haunting, ethereal …. And most decidedly not human.

 

At some point, Seung-gil was jerked back to an awareness of where he was.  One of his brothers had started to move and he was at that brother's side in an instant.  Making sure the man stayed calm as he coughed up water, his body shaking and weak -- and Yuri never stopped singing.

 

Even as Seung-gil made his brother comfortable, Yuri never stopped singing.  The melody was calming, soft, and relaxing. Soon the injured man had drifted back into a restful sleep.  

 

The process was repeated again as the other brother woke, his injuries and condition tended to and then he too fell back into a peaceful sleep.  The sun was already lightening the far horizon when Seung-gil's father moved, just a little, just enough that it was noticed and the man helped to his side so the water in his lungs could be coughed up.  The action leaving him exhausted but still breathing.

 

Only then did Yuri stop singing, crumpling into an exhausted heap as the sun rose and once again there was light.  Somehow, through some miracle, all four members of the Lee family were alive. No, not some miracle, while he didn't know the details, Suang-gil knew that it had been Yuri that had saved them.

 

By the time the sun was beginning to set, Seung-gil's brothers were awake and able to function well enough to be helping.  They were slow and needed medical attention, but keeping their father comfortable and keeping the fire going were critical.  When they asked about the pale man dressed in their brother's shirt, all that had been explained was that 'Yuri had saved them all'.

 

As the sun set, there was still no sign of rescue, but the blond merman started to stir, sitting up to look around with those beautiful jewel-like eyes.  His gaze drifted to the one man that was still unconscious, his hand slipping over to press to the wound that was now covered in strips of cloth. "I don't know what else to do?"  Yuri's tone soft and confused as he looked at Sueng-gil, uncertainty so clear.

 

"You've done everything that anyone could, more than everything."  He paused though as he looked at Yuri, really looked at the man. He was -- possibly the most beautiful being that he had ever seen in his life.  He'd been beautiful the night that he had found him trapped in the rocks. Tonight -- now, it left him without words.

 

The nod in response was curt, as Yuri stood up.  "I -- we need food." Biting his lip, he looked down at the sand, taking off the shirt to set it aside before walking back into the ocean, naked and so shockingly human now.

 

With a single hand, Seung-gil stopped his brothers from doing anything as the 'crazy man' let the ocean reclaim him.  Yuri wasn't gone long, returning with his arms full of something wrapped in seaweed. Mussels had been plucked from the ocean and wrapped in edible seaweed to make the entire bundle both manageable and edible.  

 

Even with his brother's watching Yuri now with distrust, they started to cook the mussels as best as possible with the lack of cookware.  Before long, they were all eating, and yes, everyone noticed that Yuri was eating his raw. As the brothers whispered, Seung-gil knew his brothers watched the blond with suspicion in every expression.

 

As Yuri looked at Seung-gil's father, the blond sighed then moved next to the old man -- the brothers allowing it only when Seung-gil positioned himself between them and Yuri.  Holding the old man's hand, Yuri started to sing again. The melody wrapping around them as the moon rose into the sky.

 

As he sang, Seung-gil moved closer, his eyes meeting Yuri's as he let himself get lost in them.  Beautiful did not even begin to do justice to this man. "You saved us…"

 

The singing tapered off as Yuri looked back at him, "You saved me."

 

"You were hurt and trapped."  Seung's answer came instantly.

 

"You were dying…"  Those crystal eyes dropped to where he held the old man's hand in his.  There was more that Yuri clearly hadn't said.

 

"You are …"

 

"He's not human."  Suang-gil's eldest brother hissed from the side.

 

"I know he isn't.  He's … "

 

Yuri looked up to the moon in the sky.  "Not anymore I am not."

 

"What?"  Suddenly Seung-gil reached out as he took hold of Yuri's shoulder.  "What do you mean you aren't any longer?"

 

"To save you all … I had to give up something."  Yuri wouldn't meet anyone's eyes, looking down at his hand.

 

"You -- no … You … to save us?  Why?"

 

Yuri pulled back at that, his mouth open and the look of hurt clear on his face.

 

"You saved all of us …"  Seung-gil's words still just a whisper.

 

"They're you're family.  I couldn't just save you if I could save them as well.  They -- "

 

"What exactly did you give up?"  Suang gil reached out to take Yuri's hand.

 

"I can't tell you."

 

Whatever Seung gil was going to say was cut off as his father started to cough, his eyes on Yuri though.  There wasn't fear or suspicion, it was a look of recognition. Reverently, he reached out, a shaking hand hesitantly touching a pale arm.  "You are real…."

 

Maybe it was the head trauma, maybe it was the exhaustion, maybe it was just the after-effects of such a near-death experience, but the man was crying as he held onto Yuri's arm.

 

"Father!  He is dangerous!"  The eldest brother tried to warn about his fear of Yuri but quieted as his father shook his head.

 

"No.  He is -- a merman, a savior of fishermen and … we must protect him."  The last words said as the man's tired eyes fell to Yuri's legs. "How?"  He let his hand fall to touch a pale leg, confused that Yuri looked so human.

 

"He saved us, father."  Frowning, Seung-gil looked back at Yuri.  "He won't tell me the price he paid to do it."

 

As the man's eyes dropped, Yuri whispered, "You can't tell him.  If he knows … if he knows it will affect his decision and …"

 

"Your secret is safe."  No one missed the sadness in the man's voice though as he answered.  The effort of that much speaking too much as he relaxed back to the ground.  He still needed a hospital, desperately, but maybe, just maybe he would live.

 

A few hours later, when Yuri stood to get water for the group, Suang-gill rose as well, "I am going with Yuri."  No one disagreed.

 

Once far enough away, Suang-gil took hold of Yuri's arm, turning him to face him.  "What is wrong. Why … what did this cost you. Are you going to die?"

 

"Maybe?"  It was an honest answer, and Yuri didn't flinch away from it at all.

 

"Maybe?  What do you mean maybe!"  Emotion laced every word now as Seung-gil tried to get an answer.  "You can't die! I saved you, you can not repay that by saving us and then dying!  I won't let you!" Without thinking, he pulled Yuri to him, his lips pressed to the other man's, pulling him into a kiss, desperation and desire needing an outlet -- but it was more than that.

 

As Yuri started to shake, tears escaping the exhausted creature, Seung-gil held him tight.  "Every night after I found you, every night you are what I dream of. Your eyes, your hair, how -- beautiful you are.  Then you do this, you give up everything to save not just me but my family -- I -- how can I … Yuri…." He looked into those eyes, letting himself get lost in the impossible green, the ocean crystalized into that impossibly beautiful gaze.  "I love you."

 

The proclamation took him by surprise, even as the words slipped from his mouth, but he meant it, and he knew he did, pulling Yuri in again for a slower kiss, softer and this time reciprocated as he felt Yuri's strong fingers cling to him.

 

Finally, whispering, Yuri let his lips brush over Suang-gil's ear.  "The price was to take human form forever …. and to die if the man I saved did not fall in love with me."

 

Suang-gil laughed, a deep noise in his chest as he held onto Yuri's slighter frame.  "I didn't have to fall in love with you, I already had -- the night I first met you."

 

* * *

 

In a cozy house along the shore, Yuri smiled as he tucked the blankets tighter around the little girl.  "Soon after that, they were rescued, and with his father's blessing, your papa and I left that small village, got married, and had the most beautiful daughter in the world."

 

Elana was sound asleep, missing the end of the story as she did so many time.  The storm had weakened as he had told the story, and there, off in the distance, he saw lights coming into the harbor.

 

Carefully, he carried the little girl to her bed, tucking her in under the blanket.  Once she was safe and snug, he left the house, walking down the front steps to meet his husband as the man walked up from the harbor.  It was night, and Yuri had been worried. He ran, throwing himself into his husband's arms to kiss him again. Every time he felt his lips, every time he saw their child, every day, he was reminded of how he had no regrets for the price he had paid.  

  



End file.
